micromanage

verb

mi·​cro·​man·​age ˌmī-krō-ˈma-nij How to pronounce micromanage (audio)
micromanaged; micromanaging; micromanages
Synonyms of micromanagenext

transitive verb

: to manage especially with excessive control or attention to small matters that is not wanted or causes problems
likes to micromanage every detail of the budget

intransitive verb

: to direct or conduct the activities of a group or an enterprise by micromanaging them
Your team members … want to develop and self-direct. If you micromanage, they can't demonstrate their competence …Lisa Zigarmi
micromanagement noun
micromanager noun

Examples of micromanage in a Sentence

He micromanaged every detail of the budget.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Instead of micromanaging every finger, humans provide high-level input while the AI handles coordination. Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026 Elite athletes are not consciously micromanaging each action. David Van Den Heever, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026 You can’t be truly trusted if you are being micromanaged or scared to make a mistake. Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2026 Senate Bill 199 drew criticism and accusations of micromanaging universities. Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for micromanage

Word History

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of micromanage was in 1976

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Cite this Entry

“Micromanage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/micromanage. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.

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